Easy deployment retractable awning

ABSTRACT

A retractable awning having one edge of an awning sheet secured to a support surface and an opposite edge secured to a roll bar wherein the roll bar is mounted for movement between a retracted position adjacent to the support surface and an extended position by a pair of support arms and a pair of rafter arms with the rafter arms including inner and outer arm segments that are pivotally connected together by an elbow joint that automatically locks the arms in longitudinal alignment when the awning is fully extended.

[0001] This patent application claims priority of the provisional application No. 60/263,180 entitled Easy Deployment Retractable Awning filed on Nov. 27, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates generally to retractable awnings and more particularly to a retractable awning having a roll bar secured to one edge of an awning sheet the other edge of which is anchored to a support surface and a pair of support arms and rafter arms anchored to the support surface and supporting the roll bar for movement between a retracted position adjacent the support surface and an extended position wherein the awning sheet forms a canopy across an area adjacent to the support surface. The support arms and rafter arms automatically deploy as the roll bar is pulled away for the support surface and an automatic lock secures the awning in an extended position. Another lock on the roll bar automatically secures the roll bar in a retracted position.

[0004] 2. Description of the Relevant Art

[0005] Retractable awnings have been in use for many years, with early uses being primarily as covers for windows, doors and the like. More recently, retractable awnings have been designed for use on mobile structures such as recreational vehicles and mobile homes, and, accordingly, out of necessity, the awnings have needed to include more sophisticated systems of operation and for retaining the awnings in either retracted or extended positions. Further, awnings for recreational vehicles and mobile homes are fairly long so as to extend along a substantial portion of the side of the vehicle, and, accordingly, they are relatively heavy and are sometimes difficult to manipulate.

[0006] Typically, a retractable awning includes an awning sheet that is secured along one edge to the side of the recreational vehicle or the like, with the opposite edge being secured to a roll bar about which the awning sheet can be wrapped. The roll bar is rotatably supported at opposite ends by support arms, which are typically telescoping in nature and have an inner end affixed to the sidewall of the vehicle at a location beneath the connection of the awning sheet to the vehicle. Rafter arms are also normally provided which extend from the roll bar to a location along the side of the vehicle adjacent to the connection of the awning sheet to the vehicle, with the rafter arms typically being used to retain the awning sheet in a taut condition. The awning is moved from a retracted position adjacent to the side of the vehicle to an extended position by allowing the support arms to pivot about their connection to the side of the vehicle thereby allowing the awning sheet to unroll from the roll bar. After the awning sheet has been fully extended, the rafter arms are locked in position to retain a taut condition of the awning sheet, and subsequently, the support arms are telescopically extended causing the roll bar to move upwardly to a desired elevation.

[0007] The extension of the support arms has traditionally been difficult due to the heavy weight of the awning structure and further, the support arms have typically had to be moved independently of each other thereby compounding the difficulties in moving the awning between retracted and extended positions. The problem is further compounded by the fact that many recreational vehicles are owned and operated by elderly individuals who do not always have the strength of younger individuals, and many times the elderly have some difficulty in extending the awning to a desired elevation.

[0008] It will be appreciated from the above that, while awnings are desirable, not only in the recreational vehicle and mobile home industry but also on permanent residences, they have traditionally been difficult to operate thereby discouraging use of the awning. An awning that could be simply moved between extended and retracted positions without dealing separately with the support arms and rafter arms to secure the awning in a retracted or extended position would be desirable. An automated awning has been developed and is described in pending application Ser. No. 09/586,945 filed Jun. 2, 2000 for a Powered Retractable Awning, which is of common ownership with the present application, and while the automated awning overcomes the problems inherent in other prior art systems, it is more expensive to manufacture due to the motorized automatic operation of the awning. Accordingly, an awning that would be simple to operate manually but which did not require separate and individual manipulation of the support arms and rafter arms would be desirable in the retractable awning industry.

[0009] It is to overcome the shortcomings in prior art awnings and to provide a dependable and easily deployable retractable awning that the present invention has been developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention relates to a retractable awning, which is easily moveable between extended and retracted positions. The awning includes a roll bar about which an awning sheet or canopy can be wrapped with one edge of the awning sheet being secured to a supporting surface and the other edge to the roll bar. A pair of support arms and rafter arms are operably supported on the support surface and connected to the roll bar in a manner so as to permit the roll bar to move between a position adjacent the support surface as when the awning is fully retracted and a position displaced from the support surface as when the awning is extended.

[0011] A system is employed for extending and retracting the support arms and rafter arms as the roll bar is moved between the extended and retracted positions with the system being very similar to that described in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09/586,945 filed Jun. 2, 2000 for Powered Retractable Awning which is of common ownership with the present application. As the roll bar in the present invention moves from the retracted to the extended position, the support arms automatically extend telescopically while the rafter arms fold about an elbow member approximately midway along the length of the rafter arms. When the awning is fully deployed, it is retained in the extended position by an automatic lock mechanism provided in the elbow member which is not utilized in the powered retractable awning mentioned above. The awning is simply moved from its retracted to its extended position by pulling the awning roll away from the support surface causing the awning sheet to unwrap from the roll and the support arms and rafter arms to deploy until the awning is fully extended. To retract the awning from the extended position, the lock system in the elbow member is released by pulling outwardly on the roll bar, which releases the lock mechanism and allows the roll bar to retract to its position adjacent the support surface which occurs automatically by virtue of a biasing system integrated into the roll bar.

[0012] One end of the roll bar includes a unique roll lock, which automatically prohibits movement of the roll after it has been fully retracted thereby securing the awning in a retracted position with the support arms and rafter arms fully retracted and positioned adjacent to the support surface.

[0013] While the awning sheet in the preferred embodiment described in detail hereafter is designed to wrap around the roll bar, it will be appreciated that the roll bar could be fixedly positioned adjacent to the support surface, and the awning sheet unwrapped therefrom by extending a lead bar connected to an edge of the awning sheet away from the support surface. In other words, the lead bar could replace the roll bar at the outer edge of the awning sheet with the inner edge being secured to the roll bar rather than directly to the support surface. The rest of the awning would be substantially unchanged and within the knowledge of one skilled in the art.

[0014] Other aspects, features, and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a recreational vehicle having an awning in accordance with the present invention added thereon.

[0016]FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

[0017]FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section similar to FIG. 2 with the awning in a retracted position.

[0018]FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of the elbow joint of a rafter arm used in the awning of FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the base member, the slide member, and the lock/ramp member of the elbow joint according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0020]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken through a rafter arm and the elbow joint of FIG. 4, with the rafter arm in an extended position.

[0021]FIG. 7 is a section similar to FIG. 6 indicating the extension of the outer segment of the rafter arm to release the elbow joint from its locked and extended position.

[0022]FIG. 8 is a section similar to FIG. 6 with the elbow lock released.

[0023]FIG. 9 is a section similar to FIG. 6 showing the pivotal movement of the outer reflex arm segment about the elbow joint during retraction of the awning.

[0024]FIG. 10 is a section similar to FIG. 6 showing the pivotal movement of the outer reflex arm segment about the elbow joint during retraction of the awning, wherein retraction is nearly complete.

[0025]FIG. 11 is a section similar to FIG. 6 showing the rafter arms and the elbow joint in a folded position.

[0026]FIG. 12 is a section similar to FIG. 6 showing the reflex arm extended just after extension of the outer reflex arm but prior to the locking of the elbow joint.

[0027]FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the roll bar lock mechanism looking outwardly from the roll bar.

[0028]FIG. 14 is an isometric exploded view of the lock mechanism looking in towards the end of the roll bar.

[0029]FIG. 15 is a view looking into the end of the roll of the awning of FIG. 1 with the end cap of the roll removed and with the lock in an unlocked position permitting clockwise rotation.

[0030]FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 15, indicating the automatic locking feature wherein the roll is locked presenting clockwise rotation when the roll is rotated counterclockwise.

[0031]FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 15 showing the lock in the locked position preventing clockwise rotation but permitting counterclockwise rotation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a recreational vehicle 20 having the awning 22 of the present invention mounted thereon is shown. The awning as possibly best seen in FIG. 2 includes an awning sheet or canopy 24 secured along an inner edge to a support surface 26, which in the disclosed embodiment is the sidewall of the recreational vehicle with its outer edge secured to a roll bar 28 about which the awning sheet is adapted to be wrapped. The awning further includes a pair of telescopic support arms 30 at each end with an inner end of each support arm being pivotally anchored to the support surface 26 at relatively low location and an outer end pivotally and operatively connected to the roll bar. A pair of rafter arms 32 also interconnects the support surface to the roll bar with each rafter arm having an inner end secured to the support surface, adjacent the connection of the awning sheet 24 to the support surface, and an outer end pivotally and operatively connected to the roll bar. The rafter arms are identical and have inner and outer segments 34 and 36, respectively, with the inner segment being connected at an inner end 38 to the support surface and being of channel shaped construction so as to open upwardly, and the outer segment of square tubular cross section having its outer end 40 operably connected to the roll bar and its inner end 42 connected to the outer end 44 of the inner segment by an elbow member 46. The square tubular outer segment 36 is adapted to be nested in the channel-shaped inner member 34 when the rafter arms are folded as when the awning is in the retracted position of FIG. 3.

[0033] In accordance with the present invention, the support arms 30 automatically and telescopically extend or retract, respectively, and the rafter arms 32 automatically unfold and fold, respectively, as the roll bar is moved between the retracted and extended positions. The operation of the support arms and rafter arms is controlled with a system described in the afore-noted co-pending application Ser. No. 09/586,945, filed Jun. 2, 2000, entitled Powered Retractable Awning, which is of common ownership with the present application and which is hereby incorporated by reference. The primary difference between the system described in the aforenoted pending application and the present invention resides in the manner in which the support arms and rafter arms are locked in an extended position when the awning is fully extended. In the aforenoted pending application, the locking system for retaining the components in their extended position is incorporated near the outer ends of the support arms and rafter arms adjacent to the roll bar, whereas in the present invention, the locking system is incorporated into the elbow member 46 between the inner and outer sections of the rafter arms. A complete description of the system by which the support arms and rafter arms are moved between their extended and retracted positions will not be made herein as it is fully described in the aforenoted co-pending application and one skilled in the art would be capable of incorporating the system disclosed in the aforenoted co-pending application into the awning of the present invention as described herein.

[0034] The roll bar 28 of the awning 22 of the present invention includes a conventional internal coil spring (not seen), which biases the roll bar toward the retracted position of FIG. 3. As the roll bar is moved from the retracted to the extended position, the coil spring is tensioned so that when the support arms and rafter arms are no longer bracing the roll bar and holding it in the extended position, the coil spring causes the roll bar to rotate counterclockwise, as viewed from the right end of the roll bar in FIG. 1, thereby causing the awning sheet 24 to wrap therearound, which in turn pulls the roll bar toward the support surface and thus toward its retracted position. The coil springs are well known in the industry and by way of example it could be of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,389, entitled Retractable Awning with Improved Set-Up Capability, which is of common ownership with the present application and is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0035] While the support arms 30 of the awning of the present invention are substantially identical to those of the aforenoted co-pending application, as mentioned previously, the rafter arms 32 differ in the way in which the inner 34 and outer 36 segments of the arms are pivotally connected. In accordance with the present invention, the elbow member 46 permits pivotal movement of the rafter arm segments upon predetermined conditions being satisfied and also automatically lock the segments in folded and unfolded conditions.

[0036] The elbow member 46 is probably best seen in FIGS. 4 through 12 to include two basic components, a base member 48 and a yoke member 50. One end of the yoke member 50 is bifurcated to define two horizontally spaced arms 56. The opposite end is also bifurcated to define two shorter horizontally spaced arms 58. Each of the two shorter arms has a fastener boss 59 disposed on its inner surface. The square tubular inner end 42 of the outer rafter arm segment 36 is slidably received over the two shorter arms 58 of the yoke member 50 and is secured thereon with fasteners 60 passing through the fastener bosses 59 as seen in FIGS. 6-12. The yoke member 50 thereby forms an inward axial extension from the outer rafter arm segment 36 when the awning is extended. As shown in FIG. 4, the yoke member 50 may be fabricated from three pieces: two outer portions of leg 56 and the remainder of yoke member 50. The outer portions of each of the bifurcated legs 56 are joined to the remainder of the yoke member at tongue and groove mating surfaces 85 and secured in place by wedge pins 87.

[0037] The base member 48 is adapted to be received in an open outer end 44 of the inner rafter arm segment 36 and is secured therein with fasteners 64 through fastener holes 66 provided in the base member 48 as seen in FIGS. 6-12. The base member 48 is connected in the open front end 44 of the inner rafter arm segment so that the front end 65 of the base member 48 is contiguous with the outer end 44 of the inner rafter arm segment.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base member 48 is elongated and has a hollowed interior defining a slide cavity 68. A preferred embodiment of the base member 48 comprises two separate extruded pieces, 48a and 48b. The first piece 48a comprises a bottom wall 49 including a front end 65 and a front wall 51 of a slide cavity 68. The second piece 48b comprises a bottom wall 53 with a back end 55, as well as, rear and top walls 57 and 61 of the slide cavity 68. The two pieces are joined together at tongue and groove mating surfaces 63 and secured in place by a pair of wedge pins 67. The top wall 61 of the slide cavity 68 terminates at an annular wall 69, wherein the inner surface of the annular wall 69 forms a fastener boss 70. A portion of the outer surface of the annular wall 69 is spaced from a concave face 71 of the front wall 51 of the slide cavity 68 to form a curvilinear receiving slot. A traverse fastener hole 72 passes through the front wall 51.

[0039] The slide cavity 68 is adapted to receive a slide member 82 of a somewhat ovular configuration for longitudinal slidable movement therein. The slide member 68 has an elongated opening 75 passing transversely therethrough. A latch finger 84 extends from the top wall of the slide member 82 towards the front wall 51 of the slide cavity 68. A spring anchor 78 depends downwardly from the bottom surface of the latch finger 84. Furthermore, lock/ramp member 74 is pivotably connected to the base member 48 by an arcuate protrusion 77 that depends from the bottom of the lock/ramp member 74, and is slidably received into a curvilinear receiving slot formed by the surface of the front wall 51 and the annular wall 69. Furthermore, a spring anchor 79 depends from the arcuate protrusion 77 proximate its bottom end. The lock/ramp 74 is prevented from sliding traversely out of the curvilinear receiving slot by two plates 80 that each span a side of the arcuate protrusion 77 and are secured to the base member by fasteners 81 that pass through the fastener boss 70 and the traverse fastener hole 72 that are located on either side of the curvilinear receiving slot. When the lock/ramp member 74 and the sliding member 82 are in operative connection with the base member 48, a coil spring 90 is attached to the slide member anchor 78 on one side and the lock/ramp member anchor 79 on the other side, effectively biasing the slide member 82 towards the front wall 51 of the slide cavity 68 and biasing the lock/ramp member 74 in a counterclockwise direction about the curvilinear receiving slot.

[0040] To assemble the elbow member 46, the slide member 82 is slid into the slide cavity 68, and the lock/ramp arcuate protrusion 77 is slid into the curvilinear receiving slot. The coil spring 90 is attached to both spring anchors 78 and 79, and the side plates 80 are positioned in place and secured by fasteners 81. The base member unit is then slid in-between the bifurcated arms 56 of the yoke member 50 and a pivot pin 52 is slid through a passageway in one of the spaced arms 56, concurrently through a bushing sleeve 54 and the elongated opening 75 in the slide member 82, and finally, through the corresponding passageway in the other spaced leg 56. Once the fastener is secured, the outer rafter arm segment 36 by way of yoke member 50 is pivotly joined to the base member 48 and the inner rafter arm segment 34.

[0041]FIG. 5 illustrates the various components that comprise the base member assembly: the base member first piece 48 a, base member second piece 48 b, ramp/lock member 74, and slide member 82. In the preferred embodiment, each of these components is extruded and then cut to the proper width. All the traversely aligned features of the assembly such as fastener bosses and holes, and spring anchors are integrally formed in each of the parts, thereby minimizing the number of subsequent machining operations necessary to complete the components. Once each of the components has been extruded, cut and deburred, the only necessary machining operation is to drill the vertical fastening holes 66 into the first and second base member pieces 48 a and 48 b. It can be appreciated that minimizing the number of operations necessary to produce the base member assembly significantly reduces the cost of the elbow member 46.

[0042] As mentioned previously, the elbow member 46 is adapted to automatically lock the rafter arm segments in longitudinal alignment when the awning is extended. It is also designed to automatically release the locked relationship by a slight longitudinal extension of the rafter arm segments when they are in the extended position, which allows the rafter arm segments to fold relative to each other as the awning is retracted in a manner to be described hereafter.

[0043] With reference to FIGS. 6-12, the operation of the elbow member 46 can be best understood. In FIG. 6, a vertical section of the elbow member is shown with the inner 34 and outer 36 rafter arm segments in their longitudinally aligned relationship, as when the awning is fully extended. It will be appreciated that the pivot pin 52 extends transversely through the elongated opening 75 defined in the slide member 82 and is positioned at the inner end of the opening, i.e. the end closest to the support surface 26 of the vehicle on which the awning is mounted. It will also be appreciated that a ramp pin 94, which extends horizontally through the arms 56 of the yoke member 50 and a sleeve 95 as best seen in FIG. 4, is trapped and caught in a slot 83 formed by the bottom wall 49 and a forward extending portion 85 of the front wall 51, both of the first base member piece 48A. In this position the yoke member 50 and the front rafter segment 36 is prevented from pivoting relative to the base member 48 about the pivot pin 52. The slide member 82 is also shifted inwardly towards the support surface 26, or to the leftmost position within the slide cavity 68 so that the latch finger 84 is disengaged from a latch finger catch 86 formed by the upper surface of the arcuate protrusion 77 near its end and the bottom surface of the top wall 61 of the slide cavity 68. The lock/ramp member 74 is also inclined relative to the length of the rafter arm through the pivotal mounting thereof and the bias of the coil spring 90 urging the lock/ramp member 74 in a clockwise direction.

[0044] In order to release the lock in the elbow member 46 so that the rafter arm segments can fold and allow the awning to retract, the roll bar 28 is manually pulled outwardly or downwardly thereby slightly extending the outer rafter arm segment 36 relative to the inner arm segment 34 as shown in FIG. 7. In this position, it will be appreciated that the ramp pin 94 has been shifted outwardly forcing the lock/ramp member to temporarily pivot counterclockwise against the bias of the coil spring 90 to allow the ramp pin 94 to slide therebeneath. The pivot pin 52 is also pulled outwardly, permitting the slide member 82 encouraged by spring 90 to slide outwardly to the right until the end of latch finger 84 engages the end of the arcuate protrusion 77. However, the lock/ramp member 74 does not pivot enough to allow the latch finger catch 86 to open enough to receive the latch finger 84. It will be appreciated that once the ramp pin 94 is pulled completely out from under the lock/ramp 74 as shown in FIG. 8, the outer rafter arm segment 36 is free to pivot counterclockwise about the pivot pin 52.

[0045] By releasing the roll bar 28, after having manually pulled it outwardly or downwardly, the spring bias from the coil spring 92 in the roll bar causes the awning sheet 24 to commence wrapping about the roll bar, the awning begins to move toward its retracted position and in doing so the support arms 30 telescopically slide within each other and the rafter arms start to fold. As shown in FIG. 9, the outer rafter arm segment rotates counterclockwise at pivot pin 52 as pivot pin 52 slides inwardly within the elongated opening 75 of the slide member 68, initially guided by the lock/ramp member 74 which is in contact with the ramp pin 94 of the yoke member 50. Once the ramp pin 94 has been guided over the ramp pin slot 83, the ramp pin separates from the lock/ramp member 74, and the counterclockwise rotation of the outer rafter segment relative to the inner segment continues as illustrated in FIG. 10. During the counterclockwise pivoting of the outer rafter arm segment at pivot pin 52, pivot pin 52 slides within the elongated opening 75 as is appropriate. For instance, after the ramp pin 94 separates from the lock/ramp 74 until the outer segment is perpendicular to the inner segment, the pivot pin 82 is located against the left side of the elongated opening 75. Once the angle between the two segments is reduced to less than perpendicular, the pivot pin 52 slides to the right until it rests against the right side of the elongated opening 75. Upon completion of the awning retraction, the outer rafter arm segment 36 nests within the inner channel-shape member 34 as shown in FIG. 11. It will be appreciated that as the outer rafter arm segment completes its pivotal rotation, the ramp pin 94 impacts the lock/ramp member 74 proximate the lock/ramp member's innermost end and pivots the lock/ramp member downwardly, thereby opening up the latch finger slot 86 a sufficient amount to permit the latch finger 84 to slide therebetween. Once the latch finger 84 is engaged within the latch finger slot 86, the lock/ramp member 74 is effectively locked in a retracted position as well, wherein the outward most end of the lock/ramp 74 is upwardly disposed uncovering the ramp pin slot 83.

[0046] When extending the awning from the fully retracted position of FIG. 11, the awning roll bar 28 is manually pulled away from the support surface 26 thereby causing the rafter arms 32 to unfold. It will be appreciated that when the unfolding occurs the latch finger 84 is not released from the latch finger catch 82. When the rafter arms are fully unfolded, the elbow member 46 assumes the position illustrated in FIG. 12 with the ramp pin 94 now disposed outwardly from the ramp pin slot 83 and the lock/ramp member 74 is still retained in a counterclockwise pivoted position defining a gap therebeneath for the ramp pin 94 to slide when the roll bar is released and the inner 34 and outer 36 rafter arm segments are allowed to retract axially relative to each other. This movement causes the ramp pin 94 to slide beneath the outer end of the lock/ramp member 74 and engage and become confined by the ramp pin slot 83 as illustrated in FIG. 6. As the ramp pin 94 is moving inwardly from its position of FIG. 12 to its position of FIG. 6, the pivot pin 52 is also moving inwardly and engages the inner end of the slide member 82 to force it inwardly within the slide cavity 68 thereby releasing the finger catch 76 and allowing the lock/ramp member 74 to pivot clockwise from its position of FIG. 12 to its position of FIG. 6.

[0047] To assist in securing the awning in the retracted position, a roll bar lock 100 is incorporated into one end of the roll bar, which is the right end as viewed in FIG. 1 for purposes of the present disclosure. The lock 100 is best illustrated in FIGS. 13-17. The end of the roll bar 28 is provided with a collar 102. The collar is secured to the roll bar 28 for unitary rotation therewith and has concentric inner 104 and outer 106 cylindrical walls. A plurality of internal ratchet teeth 108 are formed in a circular array on the inside surface of the outer cylindrical wall 106. The inner and outer collar surfaces 104 and 106, respectively, cooperate with (1) a two-part lock finger 110, which includes a wedge component 112 and an actuator component 114, (2) a leaf spring 116, and (3) a lock spring 118 to selectively secure the roll bar 28 in a locked position. An end cap 120 mounted on a bracket 90 at the outer end of the associated support arm 32 encloses the components of the lock mechanism and is fixedly mounted relative to the collar 102. The bracket has a cylindrical shaft that extends from it. The cylindrical shaft covered by a plastic bushing 92 is rotatably received in the inner surface of the inner wall 104. The end cap 120 includes a pivot pin 124 and a mounting pin 126, which slidably abut a flat radial surface 128 of the collar 102 when the end cap is positioned on the end of the roll bar. The actuator component 114 and the wedge component 112 of the lock finger are pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 124 in contiguous side-by-side relationship and are keyed together so that they pivot in unison about the pivot pin. The actuator component 114 includes an actuating finger 130 that projects downwardly through a notch 132 formed in the end cap 120 so as to be exposed externally of the roll bar 28 for manual manipulation. The actuator component also has a groove 134 adapted to receive one end of the leaf spring 116 with the opposite end of the leaf spring being mounted on the mounting pin 126. The leaf spring functions as an over center spring as best seen in FIGS. 15-17 so that in an unlocking position (FIG. 15), the leaf spring 116 is bowed upwardly while in a locking position of FIGS. 16 and 17, the leaf spring bows downwardly, but in either position it serves to releasably secure the actuator component in a selected locking or unlocking position.

[0048] The inner collar cylindrical wall 104 has a pair of mounting tabs 136 at circumferentially spaced locations adapted to mount and retain the ends of the lock spring 118. The lock spring has a catch 142 that extends from the spring at one of the mounting tabs 136. As mentioned previously, the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces 104 and 106 rotate with the roll bar 28 and, accordingly, the lock spring 118 also rotates with the roll bar while the two-part lock finger 110 and the leaf spring 116 remain fixed relative to the end cap 120, which does not rotate with the roll bar. As best seen in FIGS. 15-17, when the lock finger 110 is in the locking position of FIG. 17, the wedge component 112 engages a ratchet tooth 108 and prevents the roll bar 28 from rotating in a clockwise direction, which is the direction of rotation when the awning is being extended from its retracted position. However, as indicated in FIG. 17, the roll bar may rotate in a counterclockwise direction, i.e. the direction of rotation when the awning is being retracted, since the wedge component of the lock finger ratchets across or slides over the ratchet teeth 108 when rotated counterclockwise. As mentioned previously, the lock finger 110 is releasably retained in the locking position by the over center leaf spring 116 as best illustrated in FIG. 17. Pivotal movement of the lock finger 130 in a counterclockwise direction causes the leaf spring to go over center and bow upwardly thereby releasably holding the lock finger into the unlocked position of FIG. 15. In this position, it will be appreciated that the wedge component is disengaged from the ratchet teeth so as to allow free rotation of the roll bar in a clockwise direction to allow the awning to move from the retracted to the extended position.

[0049] The wedge component has an upper cam surface 144 and a catch notch 146, which cooperate with the lock spring catch 142 to automatically move the lock finger from the unlocked position of FIG. 15 to the locked position of FIG. 17 under predetermined conditions as shown in FIG. 16. When the lock finger 110 is in the unlocking position of FIG. 15, a rounded backside of the lock spring catch engages the cam surface 144 of the wedge component 112 as the roll bar is rotated in a clockwise position, but due to the resiliency of the lock spring, it merely slides past the wedge component so that the lock finger does not inhibit clockwise rotation of the roll bar. The awning can thereby be unrolled to the extended position without being inhibited or blocked by the lock finger 110. However, when the roll bar begins a counterclockwise rotation, as when the awning is being retracted, the catch section 142 on the lock spring engages the catch notch 146 of the wedge component thereby pivoting the lock finger 110 in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin overcoming the bias of the leaf spring 116 so that the leaf spring passes over center into a downwardly bowed orientation as shown in FIG. 17 and with the wedge component then engaged with a ratchet tooth of the collar 102. As mentioned previously, however, the roll bar 28 is permitted by the wedge component to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as the wedge component slides over the ratchet teeth, but once the awning is fully retracted, the roll bar is prevented from a reverse or clockwise direction of rotation. The awning thereby is locked in the retracted position until the lock finger 110 is moved manually from the locking position of FIG. 15 to the unlocking position of FIG. 17.

[0050] When the lock finger 110 is in the unlocking position of FIG. 15, the lock finger engages one end of the notch 132 formed in the end cap which prevents further rotation of the lock finger in a counterclockwise direction as might be encouraged by engagement of the lock spring with the cam surface 144 of the wedge component as the lock spring passes thereover during a clockwise rotation of the roll bar.

[0051] A pair of gas springs 148 (FIG. 2) bridges the wedge-shaped gaps between the outer ends of a support arm 30 and an associated rafter arm 32 when the awning is extended. The gas springs are pivotally mounted at fixed locations at their opposite ends to an associated support arm and rafter arm. In this manner, the gas springs cushion movements of the roll bar when the awning is extended but follow the associated support arm and rafter arm when the awning is moved between extended and retracted positions. It should be pointed out that the mounting of the ends of the gas springs at fixed locations is a departure from the manner in which a similar gas spring is mounted in the afore-noted pending application, the disclosure of which has been incorporated herein by reference.

[0052] It will be appreciated from the above description that a retractable awning has been described, which is very easily movable from a retracted to an extended position and from the extended position to a retracted position. To move the awning from the retracted position to an extended position, it is simply necessary to move the lock finger of the roll lock from the locking position of FIG. 17 to the unlocking position of FIG. 15, and then to manually pull the roll bar away from the support surface which automatically causes the support arms to telescopically extend and the rafter arms to unfold. When the awning reaches the fully extended position with the rafter arms segments in longitudinal alignment, the elbow member automatically locks the rafter arms in longitudinal alignment thereby holding the awning in the extended position. To then move the awning from the extended to the retracted position, it is simply necessary to further extend the awning roll slightly away from the support surface by manually pulling outwardly or downwardly on the roll bar causing the rafter arm segments to extend longitudinally of each other, which releases the lock in the elbow member allowing the rafter arm segments to fold relative to each other while the support arms telescopically collapse and the roll bar moves toward the support surface with the awning sheet being wrapped therearound. Upon reaching the fully retracted position, the roll bar lock automatically secures the roll bar in the retracted position of the awning until the lock finger is manually released for a subsequent deployment of the awning.

[0053] Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example, and changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A retractable awning comprising: an elongated member; an awning sheet, the awning sheet anchored at a first edge to a support surface, and at a second edge to the elongated member; and at least one rafter arm including an inner segment, an outer segment, and an elbow member pivotally joining the inner and outer segments, the inner segment being anchored at one end to the support surface and being attached to the elbow member at another end, the outer segment being attached to the elbow member at one end and being attached to the elongated member at another end, the elbow member having a lock mechanism, wherein the lock mechanism automatically secures the inner and outer segments in a longitudinally aligned relationship when the awning is moved into an extended position.
 2. The awning of claim 1, wherein the elongated member is a roll bar, the roll bar being rotatably coupled with the at least one rafter.
 3. The awning of claim 1, wherein the at least one rafter arm comprises a pair of rafter arms
 4. The awning of claim 2, wherein the roll bar further includes a coil spring, the coil spring rotatably biasing the roll bar relative to the at least one rafter arm.
 5. The awning of claim 1, further comprising at least one support arm, the support arm having a first and second end, the first end being anchored to the support surface at a vertical location below the anchor location of the inner segment, and the second end being operably attached with the other end of the outer segment.
 6. The awning of claim 1, wherein the inner segment is pivotally anchored to the support surface.
 7. The awning of claim 5, wherein the at least one support arm is a telescoping support arm.
 8. The awning of claim 2, further comprising a roll bar lock, wherein (i) the roll bar lock is coupled to the roll bar, (ii) the roll bar is configured to rotate in a first direction as the retractable awning is being extended, and rotate in a second direction as the retractable awning is being retracted, and (iii) rotation of the roll bar in the second direction automatically causes the roll bar lock to lock the roll bar from rotating in the first direction.
 9. The awning of claim 8, wherein the roll bar lock further comprises a lever to release the roll bar lock to permit the roll bar to rotate in the first direction.
 10. The awning of claim 1, wherein the elbow member lock mechanism is released when the outer segment is pulled longitudinally relative to the inner section when the inner and outer segments are in the extended position in the longitudinally aligned relationship.
 11. The awning of claim 4, wherein the awning automatically retracts from the extended position when the lock mechanism is released.
 12. The awning of claim 5, wherein a gas spring mechanism is fixedly attached to the outer segment proximate the other end of the outer segment, and is fixedly attached to the support arm proximate the support arm second end.
 13. The awning of claim 12, wherein the gas spring mechanism functions as a dampener.
 14. A retractable awning comprising: an elongated member; an awning sheet; the sheet being attached with the elongated member on one edge and with a support surface on an opposite edge; at least one rafter arm, the rafter arm having a first end anchored to the support surface, and a second end attached to the elongated member, the rafter arm comprising inner and outer segments, and an elbow member operably interconnecting the inner and outer segments, the elbow member including first and second sections, the first section being fixedly attached to the inner segment, and the second section being fixedly attached to the outer segment, either of the first and second sections including a pivot pin, and the other of the first and second sections including an opening to pivotally receive the pivot pin, either of the first and second segments further including a lock pin and the other of the first and second sections including a slot to receive the lock pin and prevent pivotal movement of the first and second sections when the inner and outer segments are in an extended longitudinally aligned relationship.
 15. The awning of claim 14, wherein the lock pin is released from the slot when the outer segment is pulled longitudinally relative to the inner segment when the inner and outer segments are in the extended longitudinally aligned relationship.
 16. The awning of claim 14, wherein the elbow member further includes a slot covering member, the slot covering member being moveably attached to the elbow member to selectively provide the lock pin with access to the slot when the slot cover is in a first position and prevent the lock pin from accessing the slot when the slot cover is in a second position.
 17. The awning of claim 16, wherein the slot cover is pivotally attached to the elbow member and the first position is an up position and the second position is a down position.
 18. The awning of claim 16, wherein the slot cover in is in the first position when the inner and outer segments are being pivoted away from each other into the extended longitudinally aligned position, and the slot cover is in the second position when the inner and outer segments are being pivoted towards from each other into a retracted position.
 19. The awning of claim 16, wherein the second section includes the pivot and lock pins, and the first section includes the corresponding opening and slot.
 20. The awning of claim 16, wherein the slot cover is biased toward the second position.
 21. The awning of claim 20, wherein a catch finger is automatically actuated when the outer arm is retracted into a position longitudinally adjacent to the inner member, the catch finger holding the slot cover in the first position until automatically released upon extension of the inner and outer rafter segments into the extended longitudinally aligned relationship.
 22. A retractable awning comprising: a roll bar; an awning sheet anchored at one edge to a support surface, and attached to the roll bar at an opposite edge; at least one rafter arm with first and second ends, the first end being anchored to the support surface at a first end, and the roll bar being rotatably coupled with the second end, the at least one rafter arm further including an inner segment, an outer segment, and a joint member, the inner and outer segments being pivotally coupled to each other by the joint member, the joint member including a lock mechanism, the lock mechanism being engageable to prevent pivotal movement of the inner and outer segments when the inner and outer segments are extended and longitudinally aligned; and a spring, the spring rotatably biasing the roll bar when the inner and outer segments are extended and longitudinally aligned; wherein the spring bias, acting through the awning sheet, applies a force to the lock mechanism causing the lock mechanism to automatically engage when the awning is moved into its extended and longitudinally aligned position.
 23. The awning of claim 22, wherein the joint member further comprises a first section being fixedly attached to the inner segment, a second section being fixedly attached to the outer segment, either the first or the second section including a pivot pin with the other of the first or second section including a corresponding pivot pin opening in which the pivot pin is pivotably disposed, either the first or second section further including a lock pin with the other of the first or second section including a corresponding lock pin slot in which the lock pin may be received to prevent pivotal movement of the pivot pin in the pivot pin opening.
 24. The awning of claim 23, wherein the force applied to the lock mechanism causes the lock pin to be received in the lock pin slot.
 25. An elbow joint for pivotably connecting inner and outer rafter arm segments of a retractable awning, the elbow joint comprising: a first section, the first section being configured for being fixedly attached to the inner segment of the rafter arm; and a second section, the second section configured for being fixedly attached to the outer segment of the rafter arm; wherein (i) either the first or second section includes a pivot pin and the other of the first or second section includes a corresponding opening to pivotally receive the pivot pin, and (ii) either the first or second section includes a lock pin and the other of the first or second section includes a corresponding slot to receive the lock pin and prevent pivotal movement about the pivot pin.
 26. The elbow joint of claim 25, further comprising a slot cover, the slot cover being movably attached to the elbow joint to selectively provide the lock pin access to the slot in a first position and prevent lock pin access to the slot in a second position.
 27. The elbow joint of claim 26, wherein the slot cover is pivotally attached to the elbow joint and the first position is an up position and the second position is a down position.
 28. The elbow joint of claim 26, wherein the slot cover in is in the second position when the first and second sections are being pivoted towards each other, and the slot cover is in the first position when the first and second sections are being pivoted away from each other.
 29. The elbow joint of claim 26, wherein the first section includes the pivot and lock pins, and the second section includes the corresponding opening and slot.
 30. The elbow joint of claim 25, wherein the first and second sections comprise a plurality of components fabricated from extrusions.
 31. A retractable awning comprising: a roll bar; an awning sheet, the awning sheet anchored at one edge to a support surface, and at the opposite edge to the roll bar; a roll bar lock, the roll bar lock having a first section and a second section, the first and second sections being rotatably coupled, the first section being coupled to the roll bar for unitary motion therewith; and at least one rafter arm, the rafter arm including a inner segment, an outer segment and an elbow joint, the inner segment being anchored at one end to the support surface, and being attached to the elbow joint at an opposite end, The outer segment being attached to the elbow joint at one end and being coupled with the second section of the roll bar lock at an opposite end, the elbow joint including a lock mechanism; wherein (i) the rafter arm lock mechanism automatically secures the retractable awning in an deployed position with the inner and outer segments of the rafter arm in an extended longitudinally aligned relationship, and (ii) the roll bar lock automatically secures retractable awning in the retracted position with at least a portion of the awning sheet wound around the roll bar and the rafter arm inner and outer segments longitudinally adjacently disposed relative to each other.
 32. The retractable awning of claim 31, wherein the roll bar lock further comprises a lever for releasing the roll bar lock, permitting the awning to be extended.
 33. The retractable awning of claim 31, further comprising a spring, the spring coupled to the roll bar to rotatably bias the roll bar relative to the support surface when the roll bar is in an extended position.
 34. The retractable awning of claim 33, wherein the awning automatically retracts from the deployed position to the retracted position when the elbow joint lock mechanism is released. 